I cannot tell a lie, Mr. Dan Pope DPT, CSCS is the motivator for this round of posts regarding assessing and correcting improper movement. Dan has done some amazing work with the Power Monkey Fitness group lately and shared some of it with the coaches here. In the information, Dan and his co-authors discuss the dysfunctions in movement and how to correct them. While I can’t just cut and paste the content into this post, I can refer back to an article Dan wrote about assessing and correcting Overhead Mobility issues. Next week I will touch some of the squatting issues. You can see the full article and his blog here

“So a while back I wrote an article on how to assess overhead mobility. Since then I’ve been meaning to put together a little video guide on not only how to assess overhead mobility but a few of my favorite videos on how to correct these issues once you find them.

As you are all aware, having full range of motion overhead is incredibly important for shoulder health. This is especially true if you’re going to be regularly putting weights overhead. If you’re a coach I’m sure you’ve had several athletes who have difficulty here. One thing I like to reinforce is having your athletes be able to pass this screen before doing overhead lifts.

I know this is a bitter pill to swallow for most new trainees who want to jump straight into crossfit programming. I know it’s also challenging for coaches to find modifications for these athletes. However, if your primary goal is promoting health and longevity then you’ll be well rewarded to correct these issues before throwing some weight overhead.

As a side note I’ve found several very high level athletes with overhead restrictions who are actually very functional and strong but also have a history of nagging shoulder pain.

Without further ado, here is one of my favorite assessments for overhead mobility:

Lastly, it’s important to distinguish between a true flexibility or stability / motor control issue. This is beyond the scope of this article but will improve your efficiency with corrective exercises if you know what you’re dealing with. If you’re interested in learning more you can always consult a local expert who utilizes the Selective Functional Movement Assessment.

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VERVE UPDATES:
-Verve is hosting some youth CrossFit camps this summer!!!! Whether you have kids or not, tell your friends that have kids. This is open to any kid, not just a members’ kid. This is great for kids or youth sport teams. Check out this link for more details and share the love of CrossFit with the kids that you know!